Gelling and thickening agents

Abstract

Food products comprising solid foodstuffs and more especially meat, meat by-products or other proteinaceous materials are contained in an aqueous phase of near neutral pH value thickened or gelled by pectic substances having a degree of esterification (methoxylation) of less than 20%. Where a rigid gel is required the pectic substance is preferably reacted with a di- or tri-valent metal ion, notably calcium ion and also with a sequestrant. The pectic substance may be a purified or isolated pectate or a natural pectin source, for example citrus peel, in which the pectic substance has the required low level of esterification, for example by enzymatic or chemical treatment of the natural material. Food products employing the thickener or gelling agent of this invention include canned meat products containing meat or meat by-product pieces in a gel or thickened gravy formed by the pectic substance, meat loaf and similar products in which the gel forms a rigid binder for the meaty material, formed products such as sausage or simulated meat pieces based on vegetable proteins, and semi-moist products based on comminuted meaty materials in which the pectic substance provides a coherent elastic texture.

We claim: 
     
       1. A food product comprising solid foodstuff and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5 and being thickened or gelled by a deesterified natural pectin source material containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%. 
     
     
       2. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase has a pH value in the range 6.0 to 7.5. 
     
     
       3. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said pectic substance has a degree of esterification below 10%. 
     
     
       4. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said natural pectin source is citrus peel. 
     
     
       5. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase is thickened or gelled by the reaction product of said pectic substance with at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion. 
     
     
       6. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase also contains a Plantago plant product selected from psyllium seed husk ang gum. 
     
     
       7. A food product according to claim 1 containing from 0.1 to 20% of the natural pectin source by weight of the product. 
     
     
       8. A food product according to claim 1 which has been pasteurized or sterilized. 
     
     
       9. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 40 to 95% comminuted animal protein material, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%, the pectic substance of said peel forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said comminuted protein material into a coherent mass. 
     
     
       10. A canned food product comprising solid foodstuff including meats or meat by-products, an aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5, and a quantity of a deesterified natural pectin source containing pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%, said pectic substance conferring on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality. 
     
     
       11. A food product according to claim 8 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 20 to 95% animal protein material, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant, and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%. 
     
     
       12. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 5 to 50% vegetable protein, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%, the pectic substance of said peel forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said vegetable protein into coherent formed pieces. 
     
     
       13. A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product includes water soluble solutes and an antimycotic, said food product being stabilized by the inclusion of sufficient of said water soluble solutes to reduce its water activity to between 0.65 and 0.85. 
     
     
       14. A method of making a food product comprising the steps of: dissolving a natural deesterified pectin source containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%   
     
     
       in an aqueous phase to confer on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality; preparing a mix including solid foodstuff and said aqueous phase; and   cooling said mix to obtain a food product having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5.   
     
     
       15. A method according to claim 14 including the additional step of causing said pectic substance to react with at least one non-toxic divalent or trivalent metal ion contained in said foodstuff, aqueous phase or pectin source whereby to form a gel in said aqueous phase. 
     
     
       16. A method according to claim 15 including the additional step of dissolving a non-toxic divalent or trivalent metal compound and a sequestrant in said aqueous phase. 
     
     
       17. A method according to claim 14 further including the steps of: heat treating said product containing said mix and said pectic substance; and allowing said product to cool and set said aqueous phase to a firm gel. 
     
     
       18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said heat treatment comprises sterilizing said product within a sealed container. 
     
     
       19. A method according to claim 14 further including the preliminary steps of: comminuting a natural pectin source; and treating said pectin source to reduce the degree of esterification thereof to below 10%. 
     
     
       20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said natural source comprises citrus peel and the preliminary step further includes substantially removing the flavedo from said peel. 
     
     
       21. A method of making a canned meat product comprising the steps of removing the flavedo from pectincontaining citrus peel; comminuting said peel; reducing the esterification of said pectin in said comminuted peel to below 20%;   preparing a mix containing meat or meat by-products, an aqueous phase, and said citrus peel containing said pectate;   filling said mix into containers and sealing it therein;   retorting said filled and sealed containers to sterilize the contents thereof;   and cooling said containers and thereby causing said aqueous phase to set to a gel having a pH value between 5 and 8.5.   
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 14 including the additional steps of: shaping said mix containing said pectic substance; gelating said shaped mix while maintaining said shape;   and introducing pieces of said shaped gelled mix into containers.   
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said pieces are filled into cans together with ohter foodstuff; sealing said cans; sterilizing said sealed cans; and cooling said sterilized cans whereby the gelled condition of said pieces is restored without substantial impairment of their integrity.